football matches, marathons, music festivals, tourist attractions etc. Maybe you already know and you are an entire family of Enoclophobians. What causes enochlophobia? Like the lady pushing her shopping cart closer to me isn’t going to make the cashier go faster so why do people do this? In fact, it was when I was home that I realized my dog kept me calm. But don’t get distracted by something like your phone, because if you don’t pay attention, then if you look up and all of a sudden there is a giant crowd, it won’t be good. It is normal to feel anxiety, it is just when anxiety gets out of hands and then tries to overtake our lives. Sign up to find out more in our Healthy Mind newsletter. This could be a reaction to something as ordinary as going […] Whether you choose to see a mental health professional or not, learning about the different disorders can help you better understand your own issues and when it might be a good idea to seek help. This can help ease anxiety. A phobia is an irrational fear of something that’s unlikely to cause harm. I start to sweat before an event that requires concentration on one speaker where you are required to be quiet such as in a church but only if I have to sit in the middle of a crowd or any row beyond the last one in the church. Teach your children this as well. Your email address will not be published. I don’t like people standing to close. Crowds or waiting in line 3. I start itching on my hands or cracking knuckles or just escape to get some air. Why are boundaries being broken? Leaving home alone 2. Too much sensory input to deal with. Also having to toast in front of the families & friends is something that freaks me out just thinking about. Those who suffer from this phobia (Fear of Crowds) have an unnatural fear of being out in public, or away from home. Every case of Enochlophobia is different and depends on the thoughts, movies and images the individual associates the large crowds with. I’m not afraid of people. Thanks so much for writing about this and all the phobias, a lot people just think they are freaks! Aphenphosmphobia – The fear of … My mother always told me “Sheep flock together – Eagles fly alone”. I’m sorry I can’t offer any help or advice though, because I’m actually a hermit and a happy one at that (in-so-far as avoiding outside stuff, at least) but I do wish you the best of luck finding a job that fits you better! Keep your mind occupied if you find yourself in a crowd, by doing other things such as listening to your headphones. Hell is other people! The UK is the ideal place to breed Enochlophobia. They may panic when they have to stand in line or find their heart racing when they find their seat in a crowded movie theater. I walked in the crowded areas without a panic attack. Whenever I’m in a crowd i cant breath properly, i feel like someone is holding my neck very tightly. To keep anxiety at bay, experts also recommend focusing on one person in the gathering/party. I don’t. Why should crowd fearers be seen as the ones with the odd syndrome? Self help is the best form of treatment for this phobia. its when i come off stage and people want to chat with me in the crowd …..i just cant do this i have to get out of there. And remind myself that we’ll all get there when we get there. I really don’t like people standing too close, especially not at my back…just thinking about it makes my skin crawl and gets my defenses up. Choose times to go places when there aren't likely to be crowds, such as shopping at night or avoiding big sales. This is good advice. Because, all phobias can to some degree limit a persons daily activities and are in some cases the root cause that make someone experience anxiety and leading up all the way to depression. We are an impatient society. I went to a school event and these complete strangers were touching me and they didn’t even say anything or seem to care. I don’t like to feel crowded. until the anxiety becomes uncomfortable and LEAVES! I’m not afraid of crowded areas. Specific phobias generally develop in childhood or adolescence and last a lifetime if not treated. I haven’t been able to go into shopping stores without a ‘person’ with me in years. Ha, I only panic when there are people packed in, and it is chaotic. Agoraphobia is often equated with a fear of public places, and by extension of crowds. This is mainly due to different thinking patterns of each phobic. You may have this phobia if chickens make you panic. I am very, very sociable and confident which is confirmed by my family, friends and work colleagues. These are listed below. When taking photos in crowded places I can’t smile. I do not know why. I experience panic attacks in large crowds. It’s really getting out of hands as people have started thinking I can’t speak. Enochlophobia might be diagnosed as a specific phobia if it meets the criteria in the DSM-V. A specific phobia is the unrealistic or extreme fear of a situation, setting, or thing. Enochlophobia, which is having a fear of crowds, is also known as Ochlophobia (fear of mobs) and Demophobia(fear of masses of people). You might say why should I look in a certain way? I don’t feel safe anymore. Knowing how to manage thoughts and anxiety will not only help a […] All is well and live well. The condition often runs in families, and stressful or traumatic events such as the death of a parent or being attacked may be a trigger. My phobia is kinda weird, or so I’ve been told. If I feel a panic attack coming on I get this weird rushed feeling inside and my head is screaming run. At least 7.2 million Americans experience clinically significant phobias in a given year and many of them have social phobia. Anxiety will NOT stand and deliver me….or any of us! However, crowds irritate me a lot – be it at shopping centers , sport/concert events etc. I don’t get overwhelmed by lots of people talking or loud noises. Psychol Med. In reality, an agoraphobic person is not afraid of crowds but afraid in crowds. Thus, there is no one cause for the fear of crowds but most experts blame genetics, biochemical irregularities, stressful or traumatic life events and inaccurate beliefs for the fear of crowds. Sometimes everything just passes smoothly, even if I am in public places like hospitals, but sometimes even a family get-together is enough for getting me extremely nervous and I just can’t explain why. A Fear of Churches Can Prevent You From Going to Weddings and Funerals, Daily Tips for a Healthy Mind to Your Inbox, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, The structure of genetic and environmental risk factors for fears and phobias, avoiding situations (e.g., church, concert, mall), experiencing trauma while in a crowd (e.g., being trapped or injured in a crowd at a concert), seeing someone else experience trauma in a crowd (e.g., watching someone else become trapped or injured in a crowd), becoming lost in a crowd as a child, or being separated from your parents, a tendency toward worrying too much or having negative thoughts, Connect something positive with crowds so that you break the negative association (e.g., go to see an enjoyable movie or your favorite concert performer). While there is no specific diagnosis of enochlophobia, there are several disorders that may be considered related. I regularly perform solos and am comfortable doing so but, standing in a choir surrounded by other choir members pushes me over the edge and I have to escape. It is also more commonly known as the fear of crowds. When I go to conventions, I get there early and have no problem navigating around crowds rather than through them. I got a service dog to help. I’m already trying to not freak out over just being in the store. A person who has a dreadful fear of large crowds and gatherings of people is said to be an Enochlophobic. I find that I am okay if it is a crowd in an open space, but if it’s a bunch of people in one room, even if I know and am familiar with them all, I will start to freak out. The Different Factors That Cause Certain Phobias to Develop. I"m not sure. I did not know what was trying to overtake me. Others are afraid of virtually all social situations. Fear of crowds, also known as enochlophobia is different from being an introvert. I have never felt the need to seek professional help for it because I simply stay away from things that are going to have crushing crowds. Crowds and public places are very much a part of your everyday life, and there is simply no possible way to avoid them. I’m not a huge fan of people in my personal space but who is. Enochlophobia is the fear of crowds. So anyway, I’m not afraid of people. You might even be at the point of completely avoiding crowds of people or places where you fear there may be crowds. I feel nuts. Read our, Medically reviewed by Daniel B. An individual suffering from excessive fear of crowds finds the masses of people too noisy. I think about that shot in the Station Nightclub fire video, of the absolute wall of bodies piled up in front of the door. I have avoided spaces I know will be crowded ever since. There's no single known cause of enochlophobia; rather, it might be connected to crowd-related trauma, a tendency to worry, or even genetic factors. Fear of public spaces or crowds: Aichmophobia: Fear of needles or pointed objects: Amaxophobia: Some people fear only specific situations, such as public speaking or eating in front of people. Agoraphobia is a social anxiety disorder that is associated with an irrational fear of being in open crowded spaces and having a panic attack. If your mother and father hate crowds, maybe you will too. Ever wonder what your personality type means? For if I did say that I HAVE of anything, I would claim that I HAVE. I choose not to say that I fear crowds. As a result, s/he fears being unable to hear what one is supposed to hear. Let's consider each of these below. Imagine you empathize to the point that you really feel what the other person is feeling. Focus on taking deep breaths if you do find yourself becoming overwhelmed by anxiety. I’ve been trying to do the same thing. The structure of genetic and environmental risk factors for fears and phobias. I have always had an aversion to crowds. What works best for me, if I know that I’m going into a situation where I’ll be among a large crowd, is to arrive early and then the gradual arrival of others helps me to accept the transition, often without noticing it happening, as opposed to walking into a place that is already packed shoulder-to-shoulder. I refuse to back down, to bow down, and to be trapped and imprisoned in my own mind. Gradually desensitizing oneself: beginning with smaller events and increasing one’s comfort level so that one can slowly attend larger events comfortably. Individuals suffering from this may only fear certain species. I tend to travel with small airplanes and panic uncontrollably even with the thought of getting on a big plane which is full. When I go to concerts, I get seats not on the floor. My panic attacks were so bad I could not wait to get out of there. I’m so frightened by crowds ever since the Las Vegas shooting. It can be generalized and apply to all situations or specific to performance situations only. Typically, shy individuals or people who are unable to desensitize themselves from the emotions of people in the crowd are more likely to suffer from Enochlophobia. It was better over the last year but my stepsisters go to college in Pittsburgh and the shooting this morning was right next to their campus (and he even hid on the campus after) so now the fear has resurfaced, crazier than ever. I started feeling dizzy, nauseous, sweating, angry, frustrated, and I felt like I was being smothered. As the name indicates, this phobia consists of an irrational fear of large crowds and gatherings of people. As you face situations that cause you anxiety, be sure to do it in a gradual way and slowly build up. It’s closely related to agoraphobia (a fear of places or situations) and ochlophobia (a fear of mob-like … CROWD PHOBIA: (demophobia, enochiophobia, and fear of crowds) 1: crowd phobia: a persistent, abnormal, and unwarranted fear of crowds, despite conscious understanding by the phobic individual and reassurance by others that there is no danger.2: crowd phobia: an extreme unwarranted fear and/or physical aversion to crowds. When I get home I’m shaken, sweaty, nauseous, and exhausted. Enochlophobia – The fear of crowds is closely related to Ochlophobia and Demophobia. I also believe my phobia(s) are getting worse because I’m starting to avoid confined areas for fear of others following, and large crowds because of the prospect of getting crowded, and it takes less and less to set off a panic attack. Being hyperaware of exits and crowd dynamics, knowing without a doubt that if anything were to happen I would die… Makes for a pretty lousy end of your day, huh? So now I go to great lengths to find out about events before they happen so that I can arrange for seating that suits me. If you have a fear of crowds you may have what is known as Ochlophobia. Enochlophobia refers to the fear of crowds. Not when our minds say it’s time! I go to the usually VERY crowded County Fair as soon as it opens and leave before dark when it gets crowded. I do NOT claim any of these things. It can also involve desensitization to work on your physical reactions to crowds. These are the people who are unable to explain their fears in words and have no control over the situation. The motivation behind the fear is usually the deciding factor in determining which type of … Little did I know, the anxiety that I felt was trailing off to enochlophobia and agoraphobia. Women tend to be affected by it more than men. The people themselves are fine. Scopophobia is a social phobia or social anxiety disorder triggered by interpersonal interactions. When we got out, I was sweating, shaking, having a hard time catching my breath. In some cases up to the degree of extreme anxiety and depression. And, if you do find yourself trapped in a crowd situation, you probably experience extreme physical, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms that you feel powerless to manage. Anyway, it could have been your grandmother who hated crowds … To help me with my attacks, I have since made my dog into an Emotional Support Dog. I never noticed this before I began having trouble with tinnitus and Vertigo. It is very similar to Ochlophobia (the specific fear of mob-like crowds) and Demophobia (the more general fear of crowds, masses or people). Most people just don’t seem able to understand the feeling. I felt smothered, ill, dizzy or scandalized (by unintentional touch to my privates) i often scream, cry, shout or when im really irritated i say bad words to strangers squeezing me.. the thing is, they don’t care.. casting bewildered faces to me.. making me more ill and irritated.. but now i think i can overcome my anxiety by listening to music when making my way out.. but the another thing is GADGETS ARE ALWAYS NOT ALLOWED IN THIS EVENT.. this thing makes my anxiety even higher.. Today at school there was a large group of people walking towards me and then they were everywhere around me and i started freaking out so i accidently screamed and then started crying on the floor. Everyone still sitting will wonder whats wrong with you & it becomes like a threat for me to try to leave. Fight it and pray about it. This fear is sometimes called Enochlophobia refers to a fear of crowds. ← Back to: List of phobias Enochlophobia describes people who get nervous in/of crowds or fearful in/of crowds. A person can pretty much develop a phobia to anything. This is not an aberration but a sensible way to react. As implied, Enochlophobia, therefore, defines the fear of crowds. Agoraphobia is a debilitating anxiety disorder in which you experience a debilitating fear of public places, being in large crowds, and avoid places or situations that may cause you to feel panicked, scared, trapped and helpless. I want to be normal again. But on my daily commute home, stuck in the tunnel from one subway platform to another during rush hour, my fear responses are off the charts. I’m 16 and i have had a phobia of crowds for the last 2 years. If you have a fear of crowds and are asking yourself this question, it is true that there is no single cause. Enochlophobia is closely related to Agoraphobia (which is the fear of and desire to avoid situations wherein one believes s/he may be subjected to incapacitation, humiliation etc). This could happen in real life (in real crowd situations) or it could be done using your imagination. My friends don’t think it’s real but it really is overwhelming and I think of death every time. I would rather stand against a wall than sit with row upon row of people behind me. Demophobia is considered to be a social phobia, which is discussed on the Phobia Types page. In order to be diagnosed as a specific phobia, your fear of crowds would need to have persisted for at least six months and not be due to another diagnosis such as social anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, or post-traumatic stress disorder. Nice speech, totally agree with staring the anxiety down and overpowering it. Absolutely, grade-a terrified. I get extremely anxious on crowded buses, but then I imagine an emergency scenario in which I might need help — I know in a crowd at least a few people would show compassion and try to help. I don’t want to talk to people when I’m shopping. 5th ed. Large crowds and uncommon smells or foreign odours are the worst for me. I tend to wait until it’s less expensive to travel in business or premium economy. 60 plus million people crammed into 94,000 sq miles. Washington D.C.: 2013. To even crown the whole I am a gay guy with certain feminine feautures that are considered in an arab country a bit eccentric.. Ochlophobia is considered to be a social phobia… Confined spaces don’t bother me either. Crowds are generally only dangerous if they turn into a crazed group of people, which tends to happen when they are moving toward something that they want (e.g., a shopping event, entering a venue, etc.) Enochlophobia is a common social phobia that is known to affect many people today. They fear that something bad will happened to them that would cause humiliation, dread, or terror. I will be shaking and my voice will be shaking too, in fact, all my body will be shaking as i get this unease in my stomach. Demophobia is the fear of crowds of people or mobs. Using public transportation, such as a bus, plane or trainThese situations cause anxiety because you fear you won't be able to escape or find help if you start to feel panicked or have other disabling or embarrassing symptoms.In addition: 1. The People that are suffering from phobias, […] While introverts may feel uncomfortable in a crowd, a person with enochlophobia experiences irrational thoughts and behaviors when in a crowd. Now, let's talk a bit more in-depth about what enochlophobia involves and what you can do about it. The fear is that if you become distressed, there won't be any way to escape or get help. Enochlophobia refers to the fear of crowds. That’s the same with me! I feel like this as well I hate gatherings and crowds, even when, I see my friends I always tell them that we should meet in one particular coffee shop cause it is less crowded. When I am ill, I like to be totally alone). I don’t like when strangers come up to me in public. A phobia will cause intense anxiety when a person is exposed to the object of the fear, often leading to avoidant behavior. That was the worse sickness that I ever felt. Britain is a multicultural nightmare. It might be the post office or the airport check-in. On a Saturday afternoon, my husband and I went to the mall (big mistake!). I get vertigo and have trouble leaving once I am in the middle. They also fear catching germs or viruses due to close contact with sick people around them. Yesterday I went to the London Underground for the first time since then. Enclosed spaces, such as movie theaters, elevators or small stores 4. A phobia is an unnatural fear of something. Sometimes anxiety will be severe even if only thinking of the feared object. I do tackle it but big crowds like concerts I can’t do, I really want to, and elevator stairs as well. I carried my small dog with me. Common Questions and Answers about Fear of crowds phobia. And yes I do get approached because of her but I say she is working and I need to go. This would make ochlophobia, which is technically the same term as enochlophobia. I did not have my dog with me. Even my parents don’t know that i am a phobic person, i’m scared how they will react. Have an exit strategy or position yourself near the edges of a crowd so that you feel comfortable about your ability to leave if necessary. The bottlenecks, the jamming, the blocking of exits by mangled bodies… I’m sick just writing about it. I usually have to put my headphones in and turn the music up especially when everyone is talking and my “friends” are trying to get me to socialize. 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